The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus in which a toner case is attached to the apparatus main body, and specifically to an image forming apparatus that can detect an opening/closing state of the toner discharge outlet through which toner is supplied from the toner case to the apparatus main body.
There is known an image forming apparatus which is a copier, a printer or the like that forms an image on a print sheet based on the electrophotography. A developing device is installed in the image forming apparatus. Inside the developing device, developer including toner is stored. The developing device develops, with the toner included in the developer, an electrostatic latent image that has been formed on an image carrier such as a photoconductor drum. As developing is performed by the developing device, the toner inside the developing device is reduced. As a result, a toner case storing the toner is attached to the image forming apparatus such that the toner is supplied from the toner case to the developing device. The toner case is configured to be attachable/detachable with respect to the image forming apparatus. When the toner in the toner case is used up, the toner case is replaced with a new toner case filled with toner.
The toner case of this type has a toner discharge outlet through which toner is supplied to the developing device. The toner discharge outlet is configured to be opened and closed by an opening/closing mechanism that includes a shutter member or the like. Conventionally, there has been known an image forming apparatus that opens or closes the toner discharge outlet of the toner case in conjunction with an opening/closing operation of a cover member of the image forming apparatus, which exposes or closes an attachment portion to which the toner case is attached.